Ministry of Education Taiwan Scholarship Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) 2026

Purpose of HES

The Ministry of Education (MOE) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) established the Ministry of Education Huayu Enrichment Scholarship (HES) Program to encourage international students and individuals to undertake Mandarin Chinese language study in Taiwan. This scholarship provides an excellent opportunity for international students to enhance their language skills and to gain cultural experiences by being immersed in a Chinese-speaking environment. Recipients will be granted scholarships award periods of 12, 9, 6, 3, or 2 months (summer program only).

Scholarship Quotas and Designated Offices

13 one-year HES quotas will be available for US citizens from the Southwest areas of the USA in the year 2026. Applicants who have a permanent address or are currently enrolling or have been enrolled within the past 3 years full-time in a university located in the following areas: Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Hawaii, Caroline Islands, Guam, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, and American Samoa, please submit application to: https://taiwanscholarship.moe.gov.tw/Apply

Award Period

The following are five award periods for a recipient to choose from. However, the final award period will be decided by your Taiwan Representative Offices:

1. Twelve months
2. Nine months
3. Six months
4. Three months
5. Two months (summer program only) in June/July or July/August of 2026.

For those who are awarded 3 to 12 months, their award period is between September 1st, 2026, and August 31st, 2027. If recipients fail to undertake their study in Taiwan during this period, their award status will be canceled and cannot be deferred for the next award period. Recipients should be matriculated for the study term/quarter at the individual Mandarin training center as specified in the award. Recipients can defer their matriculation if approved by the Mandarin training center and the MOE; always contact your designated Education Division first for any inquiries/changes; in any case, the yearly award period expires on August 31st, 2027.

If recipients fail to come to Taiwan for enrollment during the above time, they will forfeit their right to retain their scholarships. Scholarship funding will become effective on the date of the recipient’s enrollment. Scholarship funding will end on the month of the expiration of the scholarship, as soon as a recipient drops out, is expelled from a language training center, or if the scholarship is revoked, whichever comes first.

Scholarship Benefits

Stipends will be awarded monthly based on the students’ attendance records and academic performance and are disbursed through the Mandarin training centers where the recipients attend classes, either by directly depositing into the recipient’s bank account or other method as specified by the individual institutions. Additionally, since the awardees will not be able to receive scholarship before enrollment, it is suggested to prepare at least about USD 3,000 with you for the tuition fees, rent / deposit and living expenses in the first few weeks.

To be eligible for the HES, applicants must be a US citizen and currently studying in UCLA. For benefits, scholarship guidelines, application form, and other detailed information, please visit the HES website to learn more. Question and inquiries can be directed to emilyshen@mail.moe.gov.tw for assistance.

The annual application period is from February 1st through March 31st, unless specified otherwise. For more detailed information about the application and selection procedures, please visit the following website: https://depart.moe.edu.tw/LA/cp.aspx?n=342C51B18D7B8C9A&s=E4FA0485B2A5071E

Required Application Documents:

1. Complete the application on the website.
2. One copy of completed HES Terms of Agreement Form.
3. One photocopy of US passport or other certificate of nationality.
4. One photocopy of the highest-level diploma received and an official sealed transcript.
5. Photocopy of completed application forms for the language centers applied to in Taiwan, or other documents which can prove applicant’s admission status. For summer 2-month program applicants, an admission acceptance letter from a language center should be enclosed in the application material package.
6. Optional: One photocopy of the TOCFL certificate. Participants of the TOCFL (Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language) held by the Education Division, TECO office, will also be considered with priority. As for where and when to take the TOCFL test in Los Angeles, please visit this page for sign-up information.

For summer 2-month program applicants, an admission acceptance letter from a certified language center should be enclosed right in the application material package, and send to US for processing before March 31st. For those who apply for 3 to 12 months, applicants need to submit a copy of the admission letter to TECO in order to secure their scholarship by no later than June 30th. Late submission of these documents will be deemed as a waiver for accepting the scholarship. Candidates will be disqualified if they fail to pass the application review process of respective language centers.